You can use bitcrushers on synths, vocals, guitars, bass, drums, and just about anything you want. It adds a unique distorted character to your tracks you can’t easily achieve using other methods.
Bitcrushing is easy to overuse, but used sparingly and strategically, it can enhance your tracks – especially in the electronic music genre, but it can also work great for other styles like pop, hip-hop, and even rock.
Although your DAW might already have a decent built-in bitcrusher, if you’re looking for alternatives, and VST plugins that do a little more, you’ve come to the right place. Here we look at several free bitcrushers to add some serious personality and character to your mixes.
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MBitFun by MeldaProduction
Count on MeldaProduction to bring the goods. If in doubt, it’s worth checking to see if they have it, because their plugs are reliable and solid.
MBitFun could prove the perfect bitcrusher to add to your arsenal as it’s beautifully designed and highly configurable. Check out the video below – you will see just how much you can do with this VST effect by messing with the settings – from subtle, subdued effects to all out distorted and crushed mayhem.
As Melda explains, MBitFun coverts your audio into limited fixed-point precision form, from one to 16 bits per sample. You can access each bit while applying different operations.
As with any bitcrusher, it’s possible to get carried away with the effect, making your tracks somewhat unlistenable. So, use responsibly.
MBitFun is bundled up with 37 free plugins inside the Windows and Mac compatible MFreeFXBundle. This package is technically free, but you will need to upgrade for $59 if you want to unlock all the functionality. Melda also has irritating, built-in reminders to upgrade. Still, it’s nice that you can get all that for free.
Download: MeldaProduction
Krush by Tritik
If we were rating plugins strictly on their appearance, then Tritik’s Krush would rank relatively high on this list. Though not perfect, you can see what they were going for – a subtle, sleek, “thin” design with a couple of accent colors and muted text. Their circles are a little pixelated though – not sure what happened there.
Anyway, this isn’t a fashion show, and the effect itself plays heavily into its overall usefulness. As you can see, with Krush you get controls for drive, crush dwsp, filter, freq, res, as well as a modulations segment – Free/Sync, rate, shape, drive, crush, dwsp, freq, and res. Of course, you’ve got master controls for your dry and wet signal too.
It is rare to find a bitcrusher with a modulation module, so take note.
In terms of sound, Krush attempts to combine the best aspects of digital and analog modeling. We find its drive to be quite effective on its own, with crush and dwsp adding some serious lo-fi character. The filter lets you dial in or dial out certain frequencies to reduce or increase the intensity of the sound.
Modulations can help you create sweeping, rhythmic effects that are perfect for electronic music.
So, overall, we find Krush to be quite effective, and a fun VST to mess around with.
Krush is available for Windows and Mac.
Download: Tritik
DeltaModulator by Xfer Records
Xfer Records is revered by many producers and are known for their quality plugin entries.
Their DeltaModulator is a bitcrusher effect utilizing delta modulation. In non-technical terms, this means you can transform the sound of your tracks into retro gaming NES style sounds.
The interface sort of reflects the nature of the plugin, with “8-bit gaming” style pixel art text. Then, you’ve also got controls for sp., bits, input, output, dry_thru. Quite straightforward.
The effect is a lot of fun, and it works well as a filter too. Although it seems a little limited in what it can do, the sounds are all high quality, and it is a favorite among certain music producers.
We think it’s well worth giving a go.
Download: Splice
TB TimeMachine v3 by ToneBoosters
TB TimeMachine v3 simulates A/D and D/A aliasing, resampling, and bit reduction.
It comes with zero-latency processing, support for all sample rates (within the range of 44.1 to 192 kHz), adjustable resampling (between 1000 and 44100 Hz), adjustable bit depth (from 0 to 16 bits on a continuous scale), linear or mu-Law quantization (with or without dithering), and analog saturation.
Design wise, it looks like TimeMachine is straight out of the mid-2000s, making its name kind of ironic. It includes controls for number of bits, AD aliasing, re-samplerate, high pass, DA aliasing, dithering and muLaw – basically everything described in the features.
TB Time Machine v3 comes with a few presets that demonstrate what it’s capable of. I don’t think it’s the most versatile bitcrusher effect, nor is it the most extreme. But it works quite well as a filter style effect.
TB Time Machine v3 is available for Windows and Mac on KVR Audio Software.
Download: KVR Audio Software
Elite Reducer 2 by Virtual Creations, A Free Bitcrusher VST Plugin
Virtual Creations’ Elite Reducer 2 comes with two resonant low pass filters and a logical volume combination algorithm. In essence, it allows you to reduce the sample rate and bit rate of your tracks.
The automatic bank loader let you to automate reducer values. As well, as you would it expect, it can add some powerful distorted sounds to your tracks, which can work for basses, atmospheric sounds, and more.
This VST makes it easy for your to create lo-fi sounds, and it can even be used as a filter.
You can get Elite Reducer 2 for Windows and Mac.
Download: KVR Audio Software
Float Crush by CamSR and ArkeCode
Float Crush is unique in that it offers dual flavor distortion. This VST will apply quantization to the exponent and mantissa range of bits while creating a multi-stage effect. Quantizing at the mantissa range creates a softer, airy texture while the exponent range “rearranges” the sound.
This VST comes with a few presets, but you’re probably going to get the most out of it through tweaking and experimentation.
There isn’t much to this one besides what we’ve already covered, but it could be an attractive option for those looking for a bit of a different bitcrusher style effect.
Download: Rekkerd.org
Hosebeast by ArcDev Noise Industries
The comedically named Hosebeast (which I can only imagine takes after the film Wayne’s World) is a simple, colorful effect with some serious glitch-noise making capability.
This is a five-part parallel processing “multicrapfx” shredder (ArcDev Noise Industries has obviously got a serious sense of humor). And its hard to read GUI and bad attitude were apparently intentional.
Check out the video to see just what this baby can do, but I think you’ll agree when I say it’s a great choice for extreme bitcrushing style effects.
Download: DontCrac[k]
Multiband Bitcrusher by Hilofi
Multiband Bitcrushers is a multiple bitcrush and downsampler VST with four frequency bands (low, middle low, middle high, high). It processes the frequencies through the bitcrusher or grinder. Multiband Bitcrusher comes with a selectable frequency cut-off point for each band as well.
The grind setting (for each band) allows you to squash your signal, and you are also given controls for gain, mute, solo, bypass, as well as the ability to enable or disable post filter for each band.
Those who love this bitcrusher love it.
Download: KVR Audio Software
Redu(p)cer by Morfiki
The playfully designed Redu(p)cer comes with true stereo processing, high pass filter with stereo spread, quantizer, low pass filter with stereo spread, and samplerater with stereo spread.
Its design was obviously inspired by early video games style pixel art.
Download: KVR Audio Software
TAL-Bitcrusher by TAL Software
When hunting for free plugins, TAL Software is always a good developer to hit up.
Their TAL-Bitcrusher works a lot like standard bitcrushers, though it comes with a couple of unique features. It includes a low and highshelf EQ, as well as a noise cross modulator. TAL says it could work on drums (especially hats) as well as distorted leads.
This bitcrusher VST includes controls for bit depth, sample rate, noise, low shelf, high shelf, dry/wet, and volume. It works nicely as a filter, and of course, you start to get some interesting results when you begin messing with the bit depth, sample rate, and noise settings.
TAL-Bitcrusher is available for Windows and Mac.
Download: TAL Software
BitTest by Shuriken
Shuriken’s BitTest, by their own admission, is a small, lightweight bitcrusher. As such, it isn’t much to look at.
In essence, it converts your audio signal to 8 bits and gives you the ability to tun the bits off (top row controls) or invert them (bottom row controls) individually.
Though quite basic, BitTest is available for Windows and Mac.
Download: KVR Audio Software
Top Free Bitcrusher VST Plugins, Final Thoughts
If you made it this far, then you know what time it is, don’t you? It’s time to go and crush some bits!
Again, be creative. Experiment lots. Beware of overuse. Bitcrushing is great for certain applications, but not for everything. And a lot of bitcrushers work nicely as subtler effects or filters, so don’t forget that either.
Grab your plugs and go make some music!